| |
| |
| Foreword | |
| |
| |
| |
| Acknowledgements | |
| |
| |
| Introduction | |
| |
| |
| |
| Why can't I find a four-leafed clover? | |
| |
| |
| Links between nature and mathematics | |
| |
| |
| |
| Which way should I go? | |
| |
| |
| From postmen to taxi drivers | |
| |
| |
| |
| How many people watch Friends? | |
| |
| |
| Most public statistics come from surveys, but how reliable are they? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Why do clever people get things wrong? | |
| |
| |
| Sometimes experience and intelligence can be a disadvantage | |
| |
| |
| |
| What's the best bet? | |
| |
| |
| Lotteries, horses and casinos all offer the chance of a big prize | |
| |
| |
| |
| How do you explain a coincidence? | |
| |
| |
| Coincidences aren't as surprising as you would think | |
| |
| |
| |
| What's the best view of the Statue of Liberty? | |
| |
| |
| Everyday geometries, from snooker to statues | |
| |
| |
| |
| How do you keep a secret? | |
| |
| |
| Code-making and breaking isn't just for spies | |
| |
| |
| |
| Why do buses come in threes? | |
| |
| |
| Travelling without a car leads to all sorts of conundrums | |
| |
| |
| |
| What's the best way to cut a cake? | |
| |
| |
| Why four o'clock can be the time for some mathematical headaches | |
| |
| |
| |
| How can I win without cheating? | |
| |
| |
| Almost everything in life can be analysed as a game | |
| |
| |
| |
| Who's the best in the world? | |
| |
| |
| The mathematics behind sports rankings | |
| |
| |
| |
| What happened to chapter 13? | |
| |
| |
| Can bad luck be explained? | |
| |
| |
| |
| Whodunnit? | |
| |
| |
| Everyday logic, from murder mysteries to political statistics | |
| |
| |
| |
| Why am I always in traffic jams? | |
| |
| |
| Motorways, escalators and supermarkets all have one thing in common: queues | |
| |
| |
| |
| Why are showers always too hot or too cold? | |
| |
| |
| From squealing microphones to population explosions | |
| |
| |
| |
| How can I get the meal ready on time? | |
| |
| |
| Critical paths and other scheduling problems | |
| |
| |
| |
| How can I entertain the kids? | |
| |
| |
| Numbers can be magic | |
| |
| |
| References | |
| |
| |
| Index | |